Township · South Dakota
Chester Township, Lake County, South Dakota
Chester Township, Lake County, township, in Lake County, South Dakota. Chester Township, Lake County had 695 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 689 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 641 (±168). GEOID 4607911700.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
695
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 689 · ACS 2020-2024: 641 ±168
Median household income
$69,375
±$28,427 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $75,081
Median home value
$235,300
±$81,848 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $257,400
Median gross rent
$1,188
±$339 (90% margin)
South Dakota: $946
Where is Chester Township, Lake County and what county is it in?
Chester Township, Lake County is a township in Lake County, South Dakota. It covers 33.2 square miles of land, 21 residents per square mile in 2020.
2 places lie inside Chester Township (Lake County): Chester (CDP, 257 in 2020) and Brant Lake South (CDP, 140 in 2020). Part of Lake Madison (CDP) also lies in it.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Chester Township, Lake County, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 695 people lived in Chester Township, Lake County on July 1, 2025, up 1.8% since 2020, slower than South Dakota (+5.5%). The 2020 Census counted 689 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 641 (±168).
| Measure | Chester Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 641±168 | 10,972 | no clear change |
| Households | 304±76 | 4,716 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.11±0.35 | 2.21 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 479±90 | 5,797 | no clear change |
Chester Township, Lake County's population since 2000
From 695 in 2000 to 695 in 2025: up 0.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chester Township, Lake County as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Chester Township, Lake County?
The median resident of Chester Township, Lake County is 53.5 years old; 17.5% are under 18 and 35.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.5%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 12.3%.
| Measure | Chester Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.5±10.1 | 43.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.5%±8.0 pts | 19.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 35.1%±11.7 pts | 24.3% | – |
| Male | 49.3%±6.7 pts | 52.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0%±3.8 pts | 5.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.5%±8.9 pts | 88.8% | −15.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 12.3%±9.4 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±3.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.0%±3.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.2%±1.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0%±3.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.5%±1.4 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 14.6%±8.9 pts | 7.8% | – |
| With a disability | 17.5%±9.2 pts | 15.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.0%±2.2 pts | 4.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.8%±7.7 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.6%±8.6 pts | 34.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.2%±4.1 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 97.0%±3.3 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9%±2.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Chester Township, Lake County earn?
Half of Chester Township, Lake County's 304 households earn less than $69,375 a year (±$28,427), against $76,808 in Lake County and $75,081 in South Dakota. In 2015-2019 it was $93,840 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Chester Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,375±$28,427 | $76,808 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $90,764±$13,954 | $104,754 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,982±$6,127 | $45,963 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.3%±7.1 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.9%±20.9 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.0%±7.9 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.0%±2.1 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.6%±12.1 pts | 86.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Chester Township, Lake County?
Owners occupy 93.1% of Chester Township, Lake County's occupied homes and renters 6.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $235,300 by its owner (±$81,848). The median renter pays $1,188 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Chester Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $235,300±$81,848 | $247,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,188±$339 | $947 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.3%±44.6 pts | 37.4% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,410±$433 | $1,586 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 93.1%±4.4 pts | 73.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 6.9%±4.4 pts | 26.2% | – |
| Housing units | 479±90 | 5,797 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±8.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 27.6%±35.4 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 82.5%±10.4 pts | 73.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 15.9%±10.1 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2%±0.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.3%±4.4 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 27.1%±9.9 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.6%±1.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Chester Township, Lake County work and get to work?
91.8% of Chester Township, Lake County's workers drive alone and 5.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.7 minutes.
| Measure | Chester Township, Lake County | Lake County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.8%±7.8 pts | 65.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.8%±3.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 91.8%±4.5 pts | 77.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 1.8%±2.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±7.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 0.0%±7.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.5%±3.6 pts | 10.5% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.7 min±2.3 | 14.9 min | −5.3 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Chester Township, Lake County?
No census tract lies mostly in Chester Township, Lake County; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Lake County | 2,311 | $105,545 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chester Township, Lake County) · Census block assignment files
How does Chester Township, Lake County compare with other places in South Dakota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chester Township, Lake County is the 9,026th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 26th-most populous of 895 in South Dakota.
Chester Township, Lake County is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 26th | 895 |
Chester Township, Lake County's figures with every place in South Dakota (CSV)
Every place in South Dakota, sortable · Compare Chester Township, Lake County with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Chester Township, Lake County?
24 of the 57 figures for Chester Township, Lake County on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chester Township, Lake County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.